Add Art to Your Home: 18 Easy Ways

Art is a great way to make a house feel like a home, and give your place some characters. A lot of art is expensive, but it doesn't have to be. You can make art using things you have around the house, or on just about any budget. If you need help getting started, here are 18 easy ways to add art to your home.

1. Save the date. Find a calendar that you love and use the pictures. Cut pictures down to size if needed, then matte and frame.

2. Map it. Modge Podge maps to a canvas, shadow box, or slip them in a frame. This is a great look for a den or office. To make them look aged: crumple the map to get random age lines, brown the edges of the map on your stove or with a lighter, and add a small amount of brown, tan, or sepia-toned craft paint to the Modge Podge. If you are framing the maps, forgo the Modge Podge and add a tea stain. Budget saving tip: Instead of Modge Podge, use Elmer's Glue.

3. Multiply! Raid the dollar bins or buy in bulk. Instead of hanging one clock, hang 15. Instead of framing one or two botanical prints, do 10 or 12. This works with any collection you might have: old telephones on shelves, pocket watches in shadow boxes, magazine covers, preserved leaves or flowers.

4. Dish it out. Make a stunning display using old china, or funky dishware. Even white dishware looks stunning on a color-saturated wall. Budget saving tip: Visit an antique shop or thrift store. Mix and match patterns in the same color scheme.

5. Go for mod color. Visit a home improvement store and pick up your favorite color swatches. Cut them in strips and make "color block" art. To add dimension, attach the color block using adhesive strips, which raises them a bit.

6. Add a frame. Got a lot of frames and nothing to go in them? Just use the frames! Spray paint a variety of frames in a great color (use all different shapes and sizes for the best overall effects) and hang. Remove backing to the frame, so you literally are just hanging the frame.

7. Have a thing for fashion? Cut up some of your old clothes ... and frame them. Make a wall montage of pockets from all your old pants, baby clothes or just go on the hunt for some fun pockets at the thrift store.

8. Look to the fridge! Frame children's art. It's amazing how great something looks in a frame ... even if a five-year-old drew it.

9. Strung out? Go find all your old string, twine or ribbon. Wrap a canvas with it and if you like it, great ... hang it. If not, find your favorite spray paint and cover it up, and if you like it that way, great ... hang it. If it still isn't doing it for you, remove the string and let the negative space be the star.

10. Open up all those storage boxes! Hang old quilts, blankets, or rugs. Instant artwork that adds insulation and frees up storage space.

11. Frame what you love ... in graphic design? Make a collage of different fonts. Construction? Frame a bunch of old rusty nails, or make a sculpture by gluing nuts and bolts together. Seamstress? Make a similar montage or sculpture out of buttons. Beer? Save your bottle caps.

12. Become a photographer. Take a day and journey out. Go for a scenic drive, visit the city, or even your backyard and take photos of things you love. Blow them up, go for black and white, or create a photo wall. Budget saving tip: Before you head to a 1-hour photo, look online. By signing up with an online company you can usually get free prints, discounts, and many mail the prints to you.

13. Trace the silhouette profile of your friend or family. For a modern look, paint them in using bold colors, rather than the traditional black or brown. Budget saving tip: instead of using canvas and paint, trace the profile onto construction paper, newspaper or scrapbook paper and frame them.

14. Let words inspire you. Identify words that inspire you and make them art: paint them onto canvases, cut out the words in newspapers or magazines and frame them, or paint them right onto the walls.

15. Remember that time ... Frame your old postcards or cards. To better preserve them, put postcards in shadow boxes. Add other mementos to add more visual interest.

16. A different kind of growth chart. Make handprints in fun colors on canvas or in frames. Make new ones every year or in seasonal colors.

17. Make it big. Get a jumbo sized canvas and paint something simple, taking up the entire canvas: a leaf, a key, an apple, a light bulb, your favorite number or letter, a close up view of a flower.

18. Sign up. Hang old signs or license plates. Mix it up by adding old boards, windowpanes or shutters.